Easy inter equipment

ABSTRACT

Devices by which certain types of units, such as posts, poles, pilings, anchors, caskets, burial containers, stanchions and the like may be picked up, gripped, maneuvered into a desired position and, pressed, rotated and agitated for the purpose of installing such units at nearly any angle, into earth, sand, snow or other receiving material on dry land, wet land or under water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Division of Easy Inter Burial Container, PPA No. 60/715,767 of 18 Sep. 2005; RPA 11/477,236 of 28 Jun. 2006.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to equipment with which to ease the installation of vertically and angularly installed anchors, burial containers, caskets, posts, pilings, stanchions and the like, which can be pressed, agitated, screwed, self bored or by other means set into earth, sand, snow, mud, or other receiving materials, especially in high water table areas and do not require the use of concrete or cement or a large pre-dug hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common practice for installing current types of burial containers is to dig a hole approximately seven foot deep, by four feet wide by eight feet long and storing the removed receiving material for later filling of the hole and the covering of the burial container. The burial container is then lowered into the large hole and the removed material is placed and tamped around and on the burial container. Grass and other such covering is then placed over the top, to restore the original appearance of the area, and the surplus receiving material is removed. Common current practice for installing items such as building anchors, posts, pilings, poles, stanchions and the like, is to auger or dig a large hole, often adding shoring to the walls of the hole. Once a satisfactory hole is dug, forms are installed for concrete or cement, along with any required reinforcing, such as re-bar or steel mesh. The building anchor, post, piling, pole, stanchion or similar unit is then set in place and braced. Once the unit is in position, concrete or cement is poured between the form and the unit. After the concrete or cement has cured, the forms are removed. All of which is time consuming and expensive.

A major problem usually occurs when the installation of any such unit is in an area of high water table. If a hole is dug in a low lying area where water is just below the ground surface, the hole soon fills with water. In cases involving burial containers, a high water table presents a near impossible problem in digging a proper grave site. Building anchors, posts, pilings, poles, stanchions and burial containers, having screw-in threads solve the problem by using Easy Inter Equipment. Such installations do not require large pre-dug holes, but the units can be simply screwed into the damp receiving material.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is a main object of this invention to provide devices with which to easily install certain types of building anchors, burial containers, caskets, posts, pilings, stanchions and the like, into a receiving material.

It is an object of this invention to reduce the time and cost of installing certain types of building anchors, burial containers, caskets, posts, poles, pilings, stanchions and the like, by providing for the elimination of large pre-dug holes, hole shoring and the use of concrete and cement and to greatly reduce the labor required to complete and clean up such an installation.

It is another object of this invention to solve the problem of water filling an initial hole for building anchors, burial containers, caskets, posts, poles, pilings, stanchions and the like, in high water table areas, by providing a means to screw, agitate or press such items into a receiving material, without digging an initial hole.

It is yet another object of this invention to make use of ground water by allowing the water to be used as a lubricating medium between the item to be screwed, agitated or pressed into a receiving material and the damp receiving material itself.

OPERATING PRINCIPALS AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An Easy Inter Equipment device is fitted on a vehicle and the vehicle operator sets the Easy Inter Equipment device's gripper arms, over a unit to be interred, with an extend-retract section at the head of the unit to be interred, and then extends the extend-retract section to move a socket or gripper unit onto the head of the unit to be interred. The operator then closes the gripper arms over the unit to be interred, raises the unit to be interred off the ground and rotates it to a vertical position. The operator then maneuvers the unit to be interred over and down onto the spot where it is to be interred and begins rotation of the unit in the correct direction, while pressing the unit downward.

The preferred embodiment of this invention incorporates the use of hydraulic, electric, air or mechanical powered equipment, to install certain types of building anchors, burial containers, caskets, posts, poles, pilings, stanchions and the like. Easy Inter Equipment devices are made using a wide range of materials, such as plastic, rubber, wood and metal. Commonly available backhoes, tractors, cranes, loaders, forklifts and the like are used with Easy Inter Equipment. Easy Inter Equipment devices are composed of fabricated frames, to which are attached gripping, wrenching and rotating sections, along with appropriate motors and power supplies, to handle and maneuver certain types of units into position and then screw, agitate and or press them into a receiving material.

Easy Inter Equipment devices are used to install these certain types of units into water covered, swampy, muddy and high water table areas by using the water as a lubricant.

Easy Inter Equipment devices are also used to quickly and easily place hollow units containing concealed food, water, hardware, information or other materials safely and securely into a receiving material, such as dirt, sand, mud, snow or even under water. Other embodiments, ramifications and combinations of the different designs shown herein for Easy Inter Equipment are equally preferred, usually depending upon local conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a typical Easy Install Equipment device with a vehicle attachment point, 101, on a frame, 104, which is a stationary section, 102, of the main frame, with the stationary section containing a horizontal two direction motor, 103, (see FIG. 3), which, by way of the drive shaft of that motor, controls rotation, 109, of the rotational section, 104, on which a motor, 105, (see FIG. 2) is attached, to rotate, 108, the main gripping device, 110, and having a set of gripping arms, 113, which move, 114, in such a way as to enfold a unit to be interred. Also shown are an extension-retraction mechanism, 106, (see FIGS. 15 and 16) and a non-rotation/rotation unit, 107, which transfers power from a non-rotating section to a rotating section (see FIGS. 15 and 16), with a member, 111, holding its outside housing in place against rotation.

FIG. 2 is a partial cut-away view of a two direction motor, 105, which is mounted on a frame, 104, (see FIG. 1) and which has its output shaft, 119, driving a main drive shaft, 122, which drives a unit to be interred (see item 138, FIG. 7) with the main drive shaft mounted on bearings, 118, fitted inside of a housing, 117.

FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away view of a two direction motor, 103, which is mounted on the stationary frame, 102, section of the main frame, with the stationary frame having vehicle attachment points, 101, with the output shaft of the motor, 124, fixed to a flange-coupling, 123, which is attached to the rotational section, 104, of the main frame, providing for the motor to drive the rotational section, 104, of the main frame, with bearings, 116, between the stationary and rotational sections of the main frame.

FIG. 4 is a view of a vehicle, 130, having a front blade, 131, to which is mounted a typical Easy Inter Equipment device with a horizontal rotating motor, 132, gripper arms, 133, gripper-driver section, 134, approaching a unit to be interred, 138, which has a driven end, 142, in this case square shaped, and also showing a two direction motor, 140, to drive the unit to be interred, and a main frame, 139.

FIG. 5 is a view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 4, after the vehicle operator has used the Easy Inter Equipment device, 139, to grasp with its gripper arms, 133, and hold a unit, 138, to be interred, and has fitted the gripper-driver device, 134, over the end of the unit to be interred, with the motor, 140, ready.

FIG. 6 is a view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, after the vehicle operator has used the Easy Inter Equipment device, 139, to raise and rotate the unit, 138, to be interred.

FIG. 7 is a view of the same vehicle as in FIGS. 4 to 6 showing the unit, 138, being interred into a receiving material, 142, with the gripper arms, 133, holding the unit, 138, and with the unit being rotated by the motor, 140, through the gripper-driver section, 134.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a gripper-driver unit with a drive shaft, 144, which is powered by a shaft extending from the lower section of the device shown as item 230 in FIGS. 15 and 16 (refer to item 230), and several input and output lines, 145, 163, attached to a non-rotating/rotating section, 146, (see FIG. 15) with several guide rollers, 148, 154 and 156, attached to gripper/rotator members, 153 and 155, rolling and guiding on the main frame, 158, with the gripping members actuated by linkage, 152, from cylinders, 149 and 161. Also shown is an anti-rotation member, 162, attached to a non-rotation/rotation unit, 146, (see FIG. 15) and to a section of the main frame (see items 111 and 104 in FIG. 1).

FIG. 9 is a grapple type gripper-rotator section for an Easy Inter Equipment device, with a main drive shaft, 165, upper arm pivots, 175, actuating cylinders, 173, lower pivot points, 172, an anti-torque, roller frame, 171, attached to the main drive shaft, 165, on which rollers, 166, attached to grapple arms, 170, roll to guide and hold the grapple arms against a torque load as a unit to be interred is rotated while it is gripped by the arm plates, 168, which have optional gripping pads, 167.

FIG. 10 shows a socket to fit over the top of a unit to be interred and to allow the unit to be interred to be rotated for installation into a receiving material. The socket section, 197, has an attached driven shaft, 196, to match up with the main drive shaft of a Easy Inter Equipment device.

FIG. 11 is a view of a type of gripper-rotator unit for use with an Easy Inter Equipment device, with the gripper-rotator unit having a driven shaft, 176, and non-rotation/rotation unit, 178, with lines, 181, to and from cylinders, 183, which actuate typical gripper plates, 182, 191, 192 and another, not shown, through typical linkage, 188, 189, 193 and another, not shown, a anti-rotation member, 194, with all held in place by a framework, 187.

FIG. 12 is a partially cut away top view of a tubular holder, such as shown in FIG. 13, where a bar, 203, is fitted through openings, 202, in the tubular holder, 201, and has a strap, 204, attached. The strap is fitted around a unit to be interred in a specific direction and tightens when the socket like unit in which the bar is inserted is rotated in the correct direction.

FIG. 13 is an oblique view of a socket device such as shown in FIG. 12, with a driven shaft, 196, on a socket device having a tubular holder, 201, with a set of holes, 202, through which are fitted a bar and strap tightener, such as that shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 shows a square shaped socket unit, 199, made to match and rotate units to be interred having an appropriately sized and shaped upper section.

FIG. 15 is a cut-away view of a non-rotator/rotator, 209, section and an extend-retract, 210, section on a driven shaft, 206, with an anti-rotation arm, 208, which is attached to a non-rotating frame of a Easy Inter Equipment device (not shown). The outside housing of the non-rotator/rotator, 212, with bearings, 217, and seals, 219, has typical non-rotating fittings, 218 and 213, which are shown as being matched and channeled together with typical rotating fittings, 222 and 214, respectively, with a typical second and third set matched and channeled (not shown), with the three different sets providing actuation for the extend-retract section, 210, with power fittings, 226, and upper linkage pivots, 223, lower linkage pivots, 227, shaft guide, 228, and extend-retract shaft, 230, as well as actuating power for loose gripper arms (not shown) and powered gripper sections (not shown), of some of the Easy Inter Equipment device arrangements, which can be attached to the lower shaft, 230.

FIG. 16 is a partial cut-away view of the same unit shown in FIG. 15, with the lower extend-retract section, 230, fully extended.

FIG. 17 is a view of a typical coupling which is used to attach any of the many drive and driven shafts together, with a bore, 233, a key way, 232, and set screws, 234.

FIG. 18 is a three dimensional view of differently shaped gripper shoe, 238, to be alternately fitted onto a unit such as that shown in FIG. 8, depending on the shape of the unit to be interred, with the gripper shoe having guide rollers, 236 and 240, linkage attachment, 237, and a optional grip lining 239.

FIG. 19 shows another differently shaped gripper shoe from that in FIG. 18, to be fitted on the unit shown in FIG. 8, with its guide rollers, 242 and 245 and its linkage attachment, 243, and optional grip lining, 244.

FIG. 20 is a side view of a typical tractor-backhoe, 248, with a typical Easy Inter Equipment device, 250, on its crane arm, 249, with its gripper arms, 257, in open position, using an auger, 254, coupled, 253, (see FIG. 17) to the motor shaft (see item 105, FIG. 1) boring a pilot hole in a receiving material, 258.

FIG. 21 is a side view of a typical skid steer type vehicle, 262, with a typical Easy Inter Equipment device, 264, on its crane arm, 263, with gripper arms, 268, holding a certain type of screw-in post, burial container, stanchion or other similar unit, 270, while the unit is being rotated and is cutting its way with its auger-drill blades, 276, while it is being interred into a receiving material, 275.

FIG. 22 is a side view of an Easy Inter Equipment device, 278, mounted and braced, 279, on a typical fork-lift, 277, and rotating a typical screw-in post, burial container, stanchion or other similar unit, 281, into a pre-bored hole, 283, in a receiving material, 282.

FIG. 23 shows a tracked crane, 286, operating an Easy Inter Equipment device, 285, which is holding a typical screw-in post, burial container, stanchion or other similar unit, 288, with its grip arms, 287, while the Easy Inter Device rotates it into a receiving material, 289. 

1. A device to be fitted onto a powered machine to manipulate and rotate certain units with the device comprising approximately: A. a stationary framework upon which is mounted a first two-direction motor driving a rotatable second framework; B. a second two-direction motor mounted on the rotatable second framework; C. a gripping device attached to the rotatable second framework; D. a power transferring non-rotational to rotational mechanism on the shaft powered by the second two-direction motor; E. a gripping device attached to the shaft of and driven by the second two-direction motor;
 2. A device as in claim 1, having an extendable and retractable shaft between the second two-direction motor mounted on the rotatable second framework and the gripping device attached to the shaft of the second two-direction motor.
 3. A device to be fitted onto a powered machine to manipulate and rotate certain units with the device comprising approximately: A. a stationary framework upon which is mounted a first two-direction motor driving a rotatable second framework; B. a second two-direction motor mounted on the rotatable second framework; C. a gripping device attached to the rotatable second framework; D. a power transferring non-rotational to rotational mechanism on the shaft powered by the second two-direction motor; E. a socket wrenching device attached to the shaft of and driven by the second two-direction motor;
 4. A device as in claim 3, having an extendable and retractable shaft between the second two-direction motor mounted on the rotatable second framework and the socket wrenching device attached to the shaft of the second two-direction motor. 